


Regret

by PyrePyro



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Lancelot - Freeform, M/M, it's short sorry, keith not approving of relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 12:52:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13077276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PyrePyro/pseuds/PyrePyro
Summary: Keith learns the hard way that he was wrong. And he hates every second of it. The thing he hates more... is seeing his friend suffer





	Regret

**Author's Note:**

> I've been reading a lot of Lancelot fanfics where Keith is disapproving of the relationship. (Which is completely understandable) but I'm disappointed that Keith is never proven wrong. This is just something I whipped up. Please leave any critique in the comment section. I'd really like your opinion.

Silence.  
Nothing but absolute silence.

The only sound that the red paladin was aware of was the humming of the ship around them. It was gentle and almost hidden, but still there at least.  
Keith sat alone in the single room that was linked to all fighting posts. He wasn't aware that Prince Lotor had this bay. He was however grateful that it existed. It gave him space from the ship's pilot and allowed him to sit in silence and think.

His helmet was laid to rest beside his seat, making it impossible to hide his sombre expression. He didn't care about that now. Whatever emotions he had locked inside he didn't worry about anyone peeking in to see. 

His mind was whispering things to him. Things that had happened earlier. The actions that had led to this. “We'll get to the castle soon,” he said lowly, not expecting to be heard. The one he was speaking to wasn't even aware of his own presence.

Keith's attention was on the body splayed on the bench before him. He was still unconscious. An improvement from his previous dilemma.  
He was breathing. That he could see. His chest slowly rose and fell with each passing moment. His eyes were closed firmly shut and his face was expressionless. 

He almost looked peaceful. However, the tears in the black lacing of his suit revealed his earnings from the previous battle. From what he could see of his skin, cuts and bruises peeked through his suit, painting a ghastly image of the former humorous paladin.

His chest plating was cracked and welted. It was just barely holding itself together. Keith briefly wondered how it managed to even stay together after such an attack. It was probably the only thing that had saved Lance from a terrible demise.

He was hurt, but it wasn't critical. This much he knew.  
This thought gave some support to the sullen paladin. However, he was aching to know what type of injuries his friend was suffering from.

Keith reached out one hand and applied a slight pressure to his chest. Lance's body spasmed and a choked moan escaped his throat. He withdrew his hand, sitting it back on his knee. Just as he thought, broken ribs. He took a breath, his head narrowing. This mission could have gone much better.

A door slid open behind him and Keith turned himself slightly to see who it was.  
Of course, it was the only other person present on the ship. The prince himself.  
Lotor appeared to regard the red paladin for a moment, his expression apathetic towards him.

Keith thought he was piloting the ship to their destination. If he listened, he could hear that the ship was still giving it's low hum and he concluded that it must have been put onto some kind of auto pilot. 

Keith returned his gaze back to Lance. In his peripheral vision, he could see Lotor moving up to the opposite side and placing a hand on the blue paladin's shoulder.  
They were silent for a few moments, and the only sounds in the room were the slow breathing of it's occupants.  
In a whisper, Lotor spoke up. “I hope you realise this is your fault.” 

Keith's head shot up to stare at the prince. His sorrowful expression was ripped from his face and he bared his teeth and stood. “How is this my fault? You were meant to be watching him!”

“Lance is able to protect himself. I didn't feel the need to be by his side at all times. And you are avoiding my statement.” the prince spoke simply. “Because of you he ran into something he wasn't prepared for. Something that you could have prevented.”

“How? How could I have prevented any of that? He was the one who ran head on towards danger. I never made him do that.” Keith barked, his glare darkening as he listened to Lotor's next words.

“Your words betray you.” he glowered. “I recall the other day you yourself said he was going to bring your entire operation to the ground. That he would fail you. He told me this.”

“I was angry and I was frustrated. I didn't mean anything I said.”  
The prince shook his head, turning himself to face the red paladin. “Your words now have no meaning. What's said is said.”

Keith seethed. He wanted nothing more than to just strike the prince then and there. He had enough of his incisive behaviour. His eagerness to get under his skin. He clenched his fists, letting out an exasperated sigh. His eyes fell onto his friend again. What Lance saw in the prince was beyond him. He hoped they would return to the castle soon. He couldn't stand being alone with Lotor any longer. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts as Lotor spoke up again, setting another flame of anger in the red paladin.“I at least hope he has managed to prove his worth to you.”  
“Of course he's worth something to me! He's worth something to all of us!” Keith bit back.  
“I doubt that,” he dead panned, mirroring Keith's own hateful glare.  
“Stop pretending you care. You've never cared for anything in your life and you suddenly do now? You're repulsive.”

Lotor was about to respond, most likely to snap at the red paladin, when a noise stopped him.

Lance whined and shifted his head in his sleep, startling the pair out of their argument. His fingers curled inwards and his form shook involuntarily. He appeared to have been roused from his sleep, only for a moment though as he dropped back into his haze. His wincing expression softened and his posture fell limp.

Keith briefly caught Lotor giving him a scowl, before he turned back toward his partner. He caught Keith's full attention when his hand made contact with the brunette's head and stroked his hair in a comforting gesture. Seeing this immediately shifted his nerves.  
“Don't.” 

Lotor's head rose up when he snapped and they both lock eyes once again. The prince's patience was beginning to wane. Keith knew this. The fierce stare he was giving him was a warning.  
“He's in pain.” Lotor responded, his voice laced with equal amounts of frustration and exhaustion.  
Keith shot Lance a sympathetic look, but his gaze was hard on Lotor's movements. 

He couldn't be trusted. Lance was now vulnerable. If the prince wanted, he could kill him at any moment. But, Keith knew if he tried anything his alliance with Voltron would disperse and he would be alone in fighting off his father's hit on him.  
Lotor was lucky that they even considered working with him. 

If Lotor never showed up that fateful day all of this could have been averted. If Lance just hadn't fallen for him then he wouldn't have been hurt in the first place.  
Ever since the news sparked to life Keith hated their relationship. Of course he would have gone for Lance. He was the easiest to trick. To manipulate into a false sense of security. 

Despite this, Keith couldn't help the wonder that came with witnessing the prince's reaction to the downed paladin. There was a different look in his eyes from his usual collected demeanour. Was it... sympathy? Regret?  
Keith found it impossible to believe that someone such as him could dwell on emotions like that. He was a cold and ruthless trickster. The perfect representation of the Galra empire. Keith wasn't going to buy into his facade. 

However, in this moment he couldn't help but feel that he'd put a weight on a functioning relationship. Lance had seemed so happy when they were together. And the way his face would light up when he was asked about the prince. The stories he would tell had such enthusiasm and tenderness. Lance never spoke about anyone like he did Lotor.

He appeared proud to have formed a relationship with the former Galra prince. As much as everyone hated the romance between the two, they couldn't forbid. It had been attempted previously, yet Lotor managed to prove them wrong in every way. He'd gained their trust on missions, even earning respect from Shiro. Allura was still wary. As far as Keith knew, she shared the same disdain towards the lovers.

Keith, like the rest of the group had been convinced this was going to end badly. The two would grow to hate each other. Maybe even lash out in violence. Every couple had their fights. It was well known that Lance had a slight temper. Even the prince himself. Everyone had a limit after all.  
And they did. They had fights just like every other couple. Yet, Lance kept going back to him.

To an extent of horror, realisation dawned on Keith one day as Lance was reliving in whatever mission he and Lotor had come from.  
The way he spoke about him and the atmosphere he described. Keith watched his face and with sickening clarity he realised this relationship was not close to it's end.  
Lance was in love with him. 

Keith had hoped it was a simple crush. A small interest for each other that would subside after a number of weeks. He was wrong. The red paladin had tried to warn him. Of course, Lance didn't take him seriously. He ignored him for the most part. Irritating Keith beyond belief.  
He was simply trying to help his friend. The prince couldn't be trusted!

It had gotten especially bad once.  
He and Lance had undergone a screaming match the previous evening. Keith had been telling the brunette that Lotor never really loved him and he was stupid for thinking such things. Lance had remained defensive the whole argument, only causing Keith to become angrier that he would even dare to defend such a horrible person.  
It was up until the point Keith busted out Lance was nothing to him. Just a pawn. Just a play thing. Nothing else and never would be. That certainly started the fire between them. Keith didn't know where it was coming from. He was just so tired of seeing his friend so easily manipulated by someone so threatening to the team. He'd told him he'd been reduced to a burden. Keith didn't even realise what he had said.

Lance just stood there. Not even attempting to yell back and just wincing at his words.  
And then, without giving him even the slightest chance of retaliation, Keith turned and left. Flustered. 

Keith couldn't believe how stupid he had been. How inconsiderate towards his team mate. His friend. What made things worse was he knew what he was pushing onto him. All those hurtful words, names, he knew they stung, but he believed that if he just tried to make him see sense, then Lance would understand and he'd be safe.

He wasn't safe though. Being stuck between a large pillar and the unforgiving wall of the Galra ship was a horrifying sight. The pillar itself had managed to crush the approaching druids. But at the cost of harming the sharp shooter.

Lotor was the quickest to aide. Keith was dumbfounded as he witnessed the prince's actions. He'd managed wrench the paladin out. The scream that commenced was startling and Keith had prepared to help his friend, only to find that Lotor had beaten him to it.

Without the prince being there, Keith doubted he would have been able to free Lance from the imprisonment. He'd saved Lance. He'd saved all of them.

As much as Keith wished he could continue to deny it, he may have been wrong. With this epiphany, all he could do was stand in silence, alone with his guilt and remorse until they finally reached their destination.


End file.
